WHEN FALL IS COMING -- François Ozon Delivers a Delicious, Mysterious Melodrama

Review by Sean Boelman

French filmmaker François Ozon makes some of the most luscious melodramas you will ever see. His latest film, When Fall Is Coming, might not be his finest hour, but it offers many of the same charms that fans have come to expect from him — namely the pristine sights and punchy dialogue — making this an entertaining, if not altogether affecting, watch.

When Fall Is Coming tells the story of a retiree who finds her idyllic summer with her grandson threatened after she accidentally serves her daughter poisoned mushrooms and her best friend’s son is released from prison with a plan of his own. For a film that initially presents itself as a restrained countryside drama, the direction that Ozon ends up taking this story is pretty wild. 

In some ways, When Fall Is Coming plays out akin to a “What would you do?” morality tale. However, Ozon seems much less interested in exploring the binary of right and wrong than he does in asking the question of “How far would you go?” Unfortunately, this spectrum would lend itself much more to a tense thriller than the talky drama that Ozon crafts.

That’s not to say that When Fall Is Coming is not compelling; it absolutely is, and the film radiates with Ozon’s signature delicious melodrama. Particularly in the third act, when the film’s conflict reaches its almost absurd head, it’s easy to linger on every word and line of dialogue. However, Ozon does demand the viewer’s patience as he takes his time in the first act setting everything up precisely only to send it crumbling down.

Where Ozon struggles is balancing the different characters and storylines. When Fall Is Coming is hardly his first ensemble piece, but the focus of the film feels very skewed. If the construction of this story is like a puzzle, Ozon spends too much time inspecting the individual pieces as opposed to the image that they come together to build.

In the lead role, Hélène Vincent (Three Colors: Blue) delivers such an incredible performance that it makes one wonder why she never became a massive international breakout. Ozon’s films tread a very delicate line between soapy and ridiculous, and it is often his performers who ground them. Vincent brings a subtle emotion to the role that allows it to resonate, whereas another actress might have brought a more divaish quality that would have overplayed the histrionics.

The rest of the cast is also quite solid in their respective roles. Pierre Lottin’s performance is nearly as interesting and nuanced as Vincent’s, having an ineffable charm but also a streak of darkness and repressed trauma that makes the role alluring yet subtly off-putting. Young actor Garlan Erlos also deserves praise for holding his own against a cast of more veteran performers.

Like all of Ozon’s films, When Fall Is Coming also looks exquisite. The film is primarily set in Burgundy in the French countryside, and with that comes some of the most stunning vistas you’ll see in any film this year, photographed wonderfully by cinematographer Jérôme Alméras. Composers Evgueni and Sacha Galperine contribute a fittingly intoxicating score, striking the right balance between dramatic and elegant.

As an entry into the work of a master filmmaker like François Ozon, When Fall Is Coming doesn’t stand out. It has the great performances, strong dialogue, and gorgeous visuals characteristic of the filmmaker’s finest work but not quite the heart that makes it tick. Still, Ozon rarely makes bad films, and this one is no exception to that rule.

When Fall Is Coming hits theaters on April 4.

Rating: 3.5/5